Tue Zootoctst—May, 1872. 3065 
paper on the Mammals of Greenland (P. Z. 8. 1868, p. 861), which I will 
copy, for the information of Mr. Dunning and any others who care to have 
the matter ventilated. “Eight years ago (1859), on one of the little islands 
just outside of the harbour,* in the winter time, a half-breed named 
Johannes Propert, shot a bird which he had never seen before, but which, 
from description, could be no other than the great auk. He and his com- 
panions ate it, and the dogs in his sledge got the refuse; so that only one 
feather could afterwards be found. I know the man well. He is rather 
an intelligent fellow, and was not likely to destroy a bird of such rarity 
that he had never seen it before, when he knew that it would command 
a price from the Governor.t Moreover, Johannes bears the reputation of 
telling wonderful tales now and then. He says that he saw two, but that 
one escaped among the rocks. Mr. Frederick Hansen, Governor of Godhavn, 
has offered a reward for it, and is very sanguine that he will yet obtain a 
specimen of the geirfugl.” Whether we have here record of four great auks 
or two I do not know, but it appears clear from the dates that the one 
mentioned by Dr. Hayes is not the one recorded by Prof. Reinhardt— 
J. H. Gurney, jun. ; February 22, 1872. 
Glaucous and Iceland Gulls in Mount’s Bay.—These two white-winged 
gulls have occurred here during the last fortnight; the former a fine large 
bird, with a general dirty white plumage, with slight marble markings on 
the wing and tail, but without any blue colour. The Iceland gull, I under- 
stand, shows more immaturity, from a greater admixture of brown.— 
Edward Hearle Rodd; April 8, 1872. 
Birds in Smithfield and Leadenhall Markets.—On the 2nd of this month 
I visited Smithfield and Leadenhall Markets, where I met with several 
good birds, which I think worth recording. At Smithfield I got two perfect 
adult male redbreasted mergansers, a very good spoonbill, a bittern, and an 
old male cormorant. In Leadenhall I found a very good white stork, about 
a score blacktailed godwits (a few of them in full summer dress, but the 
greater part in transition), some ruffs and reeves, some of the most splendid 
herons I ever saw, plenty of shovellers and garganeys, and an immense 
number of pintail, all of which, I believe, came from Holland. I was un- 
successful in finding either the gadwall, ferruginous duck, or smew, though 
I searched carefully. I saw one swan, which was an immature bird of the 
common tame species, and there were still capercaillie and black game in 
the markets. I found two splendid marsh harriers, which I very reluctantly 
left, as they were much too far gone for stuffing. Some of the golden plovers 
I saw were in almost perfect summer plumage: this it appears they assume 
very early in the spring, as some of those in the finest plumage had 
evidently been dead at least three weeks. I was very sorry to see so many 
* At Godhayn, on Disco.—J. H. G., jun. 
+ The Copenhagen Museum had offered large rewards.—J. H. G., jun. 
